


Varian's Revenge

by Flossy2003



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Evil!Varian, F/M, Moon!Varian, Payback, Redeemed!Cass, Revenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:53:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24578596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flossy2003/pseuds/Flossy2003
Summary: What if the Saporians never took over? What if Varian stole the moonstone from, Cassandra?Still riled up with anger and the need for vengeance, Varian steals the object, Cassandra values the most and plans to use it against her and Rapunzel, with the influence of Zhan-Tiri.
Relationships: Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel
Comments: 41
Kudos: 73





	1. Break Out

**Author's Note:**

  * For [franynightangel](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=franynightangel).



> I'm writing this for franynightangel on Tumblr! I hope you like it, Frany!

Cassandra looked at the scroll in her hands, completely confused by it. She was normally a good translator, she used to translate letters for her dad, after all.

Her dad. Gosh, how angry she was with him! But a part of her really missed him too, she still loved him, but she just couldn’t bring herself to forgive him, all she could feel was anger. 

“You’ll need someone very clever, to translate that. Do you know anyone, an alchemist, perhaps, that might be able to you?” 

“Varian?” Cassandra muttered. 

“Yes!” 

“But…he’s just a kid, I couldn’t…”

“Think about what he did to you, Cassandra! He tried to kill you with a robot, didn’t he?” 

“Yes, he did,” Cassandra frowned, remembering the intense pain of the robot’s grip. She had been sent to the castle infirmary with serval cracked ribs, after the attack. They ached when she thought about it. 

“Surely, you don’t care about him, after he did that to you, do you?” 

Cassandra clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, the ghost girl’s voice filling her head, she couldn’t think of anything else, other than what she was saying. 

“No.” She replied. 

“Well, then, what are you waiting for, Cassandra?” Zhan-Tiri asked, with a wicked little sneer, “we have an alchemist to capture.” 

Varian sat in his prison cell, his palms squashed up against his face, his knees tucked into his chest. 

He had been in there for almost a year and had hated every second of it. The guards were strict, the food was gross and the bed was lumpy. What was worse, was that his father was still trapped in amber, which made the boy despair. 

He was still so angry, yet, in some ways, felt a bit guilty. Wait, did he? 

“No! I shouldn’t be the one who has to feel guilty, they should be feeling guilty, they were the ones who turned their backs on me, in the first place!” He told himself. 

When his father got encased in amber, no one helped, not even Rapunzel, Eugene or Cassandra, who he thought were his friends. 

“Varian?”

That voice, it sounded like, Cassandra, but slightly different? It sounded, almost, condescending, which, was a trait he had never paired with Cassandra. Surely, it couldn’t be her, could it?

He looked up and his heart almost jumped from his chest. He felt Ruddiger tense at his feet. 

“Cassandra?” He spluttered. 

Where his eyes deceiving him, or did Cassandra really have blue eyes, instead of hazel and bright-turquoise hair, instead of ebony? Also, what was the thing on her chest?  
“What’s happened to you?” He asked, blinking hard. 

“What do you mean?”

“You have blue eyes and hair and some strange, glowing thing on your chest?!” 

Cassandra sighed, unlocking the cell door. 

“I’ll explain later, kid, for now, I need you to help me.”

Varian scoffed, folding his arms across his chest. 

“What makes you think, that I would help you, after you turned your back on me, Cassie?” He sneered, spitting her nickname.

“It’s Cassandra, to you,” she replied, bitterly, “and, I think you’ll find that you don’t have a choice.” 

After that, Varian’s world went black.


	2. Revenge

Cassandra stalked through the forest, a sleeping Varian draped over the back of a horse. She wasn't sure where she was meant to be going, all she knew was that she needed to hide. Her heart was thudding against her chest, as guilt plagued her mind. 

"Why am I doing this?" She kept thinking, "This can't be right. Can it?"

"Questioning your destiny again?" The Ghost Girl asked, floating down from a tree and hovering in front of her. 

"N...no! I wasn't!" Cassandra spat, "I just..." 

Could she read her thoughts?! 

"So, is this really your plan?" The Ghost asked, cutting Cassandra off, "running away?" 

"I'm not running away! No one is running away!" Cassandra snapped.

"One would think, that now you have the power of the black rocks, you wouldn't feel the need to hide."

Cassandra frowned. 

"I don't hide from anything!" She argued, clenching her fists to her side. 

"I don't need to remind you," the girl continued, patronizingly, "that defeat is not an option and when Rapunzel comes for you, you must be prepared to protect what is rightfully yours." 

Cassandra peered down at the moonstone. The girl was right, she needed to keep it safe. 

"What you need is..." 

"A stronghold!" Cassandra finished, "and I know just where to build one!" 

"Your Majesties," The Captain began, practically running into the throne room, followed by Pete and Stan, "it's Varian, he's gone!" 

"Gone?" Arianna asked, "what do you mean, gone?" 

"I believe he escaped, earlier tonight. His cell is completely empty." 

"Rally the guards together and arrange a search party, that boy is dangerous and we already have Cassandra causing trouble, we don't need any more problems," Fredric ordered. 

The Captain tensed when he mentioned Cassandra, scarcely able to believe what she had done. He was angry with her, no doubt, but he was also so confused and scared for her. She was always going to be his little girl in his eyes, no matter what.

"Yes, your majesty." 

"We need to let Rapunzel know," Arianna said, "she was Varian's target, after all, she deserves to know." 

"Pete, Stan, go and find Rapunzel and Eugene and bring them in here," Fredric ordered. 

"Yes, your majesty." 

As the guards went off, in different directions, Fredric leaned back in his chair. 

"Never a moment's peace around here." He grumbled as the door closed.

Varian woke up, tied to a black rock. He glared at the woman in front of him. Cassandra. She had done this to him. 

"Where are we?!" He asked, looking around. 

"I need your help with something," Cassandra huffed, "I need you to translate this for me." 

She held up a piece of parchment, written in some strange language. 

"Why should I help you?!" Varian snapped, "as I said before, you turned your back on me! I don't help people who do that to me!" 

"Hurt him!" The ghost girl whispered, in Cassandra's ear, "make him tell you! Force him!" 

"No, I can't do that, that's crossing the line!" Cassandra argued. 

"You've never had a problem with crossing the line before, Cassandra, why now?" 

"He's a kid...I couldn't...I don't want to hurt peop..." 

"I thought we had already discussed this," the girl smirked, "He hurt you, didn't he? He cracked your ribs, he nearly killed you with a robot, didn't he?" 

"Yes," Cassandra said. 

"Then you deserve some revenge on him." 

"I..." 

"Do it, Cassandra, or else, you'll never achieve your destiny!" 

"Who are you talking to, Cassandra?" Varian asked, a hint of actual concern in his voice. 

"No one!" She snapped, "look, if you don't help me, Varian, then I'll have to make you." 

"What do you mean?" 

"I think it's time for a little revenge." She hissed, the ghost girl, grinning behind her, like a wicked Cheshire cat.


	3. Ready as He'll Ever Be

Pain, all Varian could feel was pain. The black rocks Cassandra had been firing at him for the last twenty minutes, had damaged his skin, creating multiple cuts and bruises in his complexion, yet he hadn't made a single sound. He didn't want to satisfy her with the screams scratching at his throat. 

He had noticed Cassandra wincing and grimacing with every rock she made. Was she doing it for him, or were the rocks causing her pain in someway? 

"For the last time, translate this and I'll stop, Varian!" She yelled, holding up the scroll, in front of his face. 

"For the last time, Cassie..." 

Cassandra grabbed him by the collar and lifted him as far off the ground, as his ropes would let her. 

"If I hear you call me that, one more time," she growled, "I will make you feel more pain than you've ever felt in your pathetic, little existence!" 

Varian snarled in response, trying to hide his inner fear. 

Cassandra had always been a bit scary, he supposed, that was why Eugene called her the "Dragon Lady", after all, but she had never been cruel or malicious with it, that just wasn't the person she was. Right now, however, she seemed, almost, as if she'd lost her mind, she was talking to people, who weren't there, for goodness sake! It made Varian wonder what had happened to her, while they were away...when they left him behind, to rot in prison. 

Varian felt his fists clench in anger, when he remembered everything, people who he thought were looking out for him, who he thought were his friends, had put him through, and were still putting him through. 

He glanced at Cassandra's eyes, that were filled with a mix of crazed anger, frustration, hostility and...guilt? 

"Weakness," Varian thought to himself. 

Wait...if she felt guilty, then maybe the person she once was, was still trapped inside, this ruthless, wicked monster, probably scrambling to break free. The person she once was, was weak, compared to him, as a matter of fact, he had been able to snatch her up and nearly crush her to pieces, last time he'd seen her. 

It was then, when another rock sliced through his skin, followed by a cry of anger, from his captor, that he hatched a wicked idea. 

He needed to get that blue glowing thing, that was what must've been giving her that power. He would use it against her. 

Cassandra was going to fall and he was going to rise...ready as he'll ever be. 

Rapunzel and Eugene looked around Varian's empty cell, in search of something, anything that would be able to help them, pinpoint how the boy got out, but so far they weren't having the best luck. 

"I don't understand," Rapunzel said, looking under the mattress, "surely there must've been guards on patrol?" 

"You know the guards in this place, though," Eugene muttered, "they're not always that "reliable"." 

Rapunzel sighed. Her head was violently spinning with so many thoughts. She was worried about Cassandra and now she was worried about Varian. He could've escaped, she supposed, but then again, he might've been...taken. 

"What if, he didn't escape." Rapunzel muttered, sitting down on the wooden bed, "I just find it strange that he's been in here for such a long time and only just now, he's decided to make an escape. I think something more fishy is going on, here. Maybe he was kidnapped or something!" 

Eugene sat down next to his girlfriend and pulled her into a hug, noticing how stressed she was getting. 

"I don't understand, why would anyone take him?" He asked. 

"Maybe, for his smarts," Rapunzel suggested, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear, "he's a clever kid, Eugene, he knows how to do alchemy, he knows how to trans..." 

She stopped. 

It clicked. 

"Eugene, I think I know who might have him." 

"Who?" 

"Cass."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope this chapter is as good, as I'd like it to be. I was really worried about this one, because I was worried about making it seem that what Cassandra was doing is fine, because she felt guilty about it, which is obviously not true. 
> 
> The treatment of Varian is probably going to get worse, in the next chapter, but it's nothing compared to what he has planned for Cass (mwahahaha!)


	4. Home, Sweet, Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so, so sorry that this chapter took so long.  
> Despite how short it is, in order to build up the tension, I had a really difficult time writing it. 
> 
> No matter how many different times I tried, nothing really stuck. 
> 
> I’m still not particularly impressed with this one, it’s not my favourite, but I sincerely hope that you guys enjoy it ❤️.

“Fine! I’ll translate it!” Varian cried, trying to ignore the agony he was experiencing. He’d get her back for that. 

The pain stopped, almost immediately, but Cassandra’s expression did not change. It remained angry and deranged. 

“How do I know that I can trust you, Varian?” She asked, coldly, keeping her rock powers on standby, just in case. 

The young alchemist looked back at her, his eyes narrowed. 

“I promise, and when I promise something, I never, ever break that promise. Promises mean a lot to me.” 

She simply started at him. Stunned. 

However, she didn’t stay like it for long, snapping back to her stoic mood. 

“Ok, but try anything and you’re done for!” She growled, reaching for the ropes around Varian’s wrists.

She reached out to hand him the scroll and he took it. 

“Let’s see...” he mumbled, scanning the parchment. 

Cassandra watched wide-eyed, paying no attention to Zhan Tiri floating behind her, smiling. 

“Crescent...” he began, “...high above. I think that’s evolving.....as you go.” 

“Yes?” Cassandra asked, excitedly. 

“Raise...what lies...uh.....beneath and let...the darkness grow.” 

“Crescent high above, evolving as you go,” Cassandra repeated, “raise what lies beneath and let the darkness grow.” 

It worked. 

The rocks around them grew taller, almost in rhythm with her voice. 

The grin on her face was beyond haunting. 

Varian was taken aback by what Cassandra had eventually built. He had to admit, as much as he hated to, it looked amazing. 

It was a tall, tower, with turrets sprouting out from different sides, it was almost castle-like, but skinnier. 

“Home, sweet, home.” Cassandra smirked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the next chapter is where we get into the meat and potatoes of this story and I’m really excited about it! We’re getting to the exciting stuff!


	5. Trust

Varian watched as Cassandra built a black-rock throne in the centre of her palace. 

“Is that really necessary?” He asked, nursing his injuries. 

“Mhm.” Cassandra mumbled in response. 

They remained in an awkward silence for a few moments, until Cassandra grumbled something that Varian barely heard.

“Kid, I know that none of this is your fault and I didn’t want to hurt you, but I needed that incantation, and besides you did hurt me!” 

The turquoise-haired woman gestured to her ribs, remembering the robot nearly crushing them into smithereens. 

Varian’s face almost immediately switched to one of concern.

“Oh.” He mumbled, “Cass, I-“ 

Cassandra clenched her fists. 

“I what?!” She snapped. 

Varian looked down at his feet, awkwardly. 

“I had no idea, I hurt you badly.” 

Was he serious? Of course he had hurt her badly! He had crushed her ribs with metal! 

“You had no idea?!” Cassandra yelled, “You crushed me! What planet are you on?!” 

Varian paused. 

“Cass...I’m sorry,” he tried, reaching out to touch her on the arm, “I wasn’t thinking clearly, I made a huge mistake, but I think I can make it up to you.”

Cassandra frowned, tugging her arm away.  
“How?” She growled, her voice full of ire.

“I can help you with Rapunzel. She broke a promise she made to me and now, she’s clearly hurt you, too.”

“She always treated me second-best. I was always below her, below everyone. Even my own mother chose her over me.”

Varian didn’t even want to ask about that, noticing how tense her shoulders became, when she talked about it.

“Trust me” he said, offering his hand, “I can help you. I can help you rise above Rapunzel.”

The turquoise orb pulsed, as Cassandra’s eyes lit up. Now he had her, and if he had her, he could take it from her.

“You’re not the villain, Cassandra, she is.”

Zhan Tiri, watched, eagle eyed, at the scene playing out in front of her. If the boy was on her side, encouraging her, making her believe, further, that Rapunzel then her determination to destroy Rapunzel would be stronger.

“You think so?” She asked. 

“I know so! Rapunzel doesn’t keep promises, and looks down on people below her! It isn’t fair! She’s not trustworthy, and I know that you have to be careful who you trust!” 

Cassandra nodded in agreement, although she was amazed that Varian of all people had taken her side. 

“I can help you,” he said, stepping closer to her, “all you need to do, is give me this.” 

Before Cassandra had time to react, Varian snatched the moonstone and yanked it from her chest, causing her to cry out in pain. 

“How did you….?!” She gasped, collapsing to her knees, as her energy drained, her hair colour turned back to ebony and a painful hole in her chest bled out. 

She watched as Varian slammed the stone into his chest. He yelled, as his hair was overtaken by the turquoise glow. She remembered how painful her transformation had been, remembering how she thought she was going to die at any second.

A low chuckle. 

“I tried to warn you, Cassandra,” Varian spat, “you have to be careful who you trust.”


	6. A Fate Worse Than Death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before I begin, I just want to thank everyone for over 1000 hits on this story!! 🥰

Cassandra looked shell shocked. Her trembling knees were tucked into her chest, her hand was over the hole, where the moonstone used to be, almost caressing it, the fresh blood leaking onto her fingers. 

Varian figured that it must hurt, but he didn’t care. 

Zhan Tiri, meanwhile, stared on, in pure amazement, at what the boy had done. If she could get into his head, the way she’d done with Cassandra, her plan could still work. She just needed to wait for the right moment. 

Cassandra looked up at the ghost girl, her panicked eyes, pleading for help. She glared, when the girl merely shrugged, with a wicked grin, before fading away. 

Everyone had turned their backs on her. Everyone had used her. Everyone had abandoned her. 

The realisation broke her heart, so much so that she didn’t notice Varian, tying her to a tall, black rock. 

“Varian, please, listen to me!” Cassandra cried, “I’m so sorry, I...”

“No! It’s too late for that, Cassandra, I can tell that you’re only apologising because you’re scared. You’re scared of me, because I am more powerful than you! Without the power of the moonstone, you are nothing!” 

Cassandra screamed as Varian aimed another rock at her, just missing her face. 

“Stop!” She yelled, struggling against her bonds. 

“No! You are going to sit there and pay for everything you did to me and then I’ll make you suffer a fate worse than death.” 

She yelled as a rock bloodied her cheek. This is exactly what she did to Varian. She felt her heart sink. She was the bad guy and she had been too blind to see it. 

“Varian, please, it doesn’t have to be like this! You don’t have to be the bad guy, like I was!” 

“Is that what you think I am?!” Varian spat, looming over his terrified prisoner.

He took her by the chin and forced her to look into his eyes. 

“I’m nothing like you, Cassandra! I’m not the bad guy, I’m getting my own back on those who wronged and turned their backs on me! You’re just a selfish, pathetic, weakling!” 

He gave her a sharp push backwards, so that her back slammed into the rock she was tied to. 

More and more rocks sliced through Cassandra’s armour and scratched the skin underneath. 

She screamed, cried, begged and thrashed, but Varian kept on going. 

Her torture lasted a good hour, before Varian finally stopped, allowing her to gulp down much needed air. 

He untied her weary body and watched as she fell to the floor, exhausted. 

“Oh, we’re not done yet, Cassie.” He sneered, picking up an amber ball, from his pocket, he had managed to retrieve from his lab, before being hauled off to prison, and holding it up to her face. 

“Recognise this?” He asked, before demanding her to stand. 

Cassandra complied and tried the best she could to keep herself upright on her trembling legs. 

“Varian, please…” she tried again, but Varian wasn’t listening. 

“Enjoy,” he smirked, chucking the ball by her feet, watching as amber began to creep up her body. 

Cassandra was of course trying her best to escape, but the amber held her firm. 

“Help! Someone help!!” She called, as the amber crawled up her chest.

“No one is going to help you now, Cassie.”

Cassandra screamed at the top of her lungs, extending a desperate hand out, which Varian simply pushed away. 

Cassandra’s screams were now reduced to muffled cries, as the amber covered the rest of her body. 

Varian smiled at her scared face, completely frozen in place and left the room, leaving an encased Cassandra in the dark.

The moment the boy walked out of the tower, he was met by a strange voice. 

“Varian!” The voice called out, “Varian!” 

He froze, his heart pounding.


	7. I Hope You’re Proud Of Me, Dad

Zhan Tiri stared down at the boy, with a wide grin. 

“Who’s there?!” He yelled, trying to disguise the obvious terror in his voice. 

“A friend, or at least, I’d like to be.” 

Varian’s eyes widened, as a young, blue girl, came into view. 

“Who are you?!” He snapped, with a frown. 

“I’ve already answered that question, Varian,” the girl quipped, “I’m a friend, or at least, I’d like to be.” 

“You’re not my friend! I don’t even know you!”

Zhan Tiri sighed, trying her hardest not to get irritated. She needed to seem trustworthy, after all. 

“I can help you Varian,” she said. 

“I don’t need anyone’s help!” 

Zhan Tiri shook her head. 

“I can help you free your father.” 

That did it.

Varian froze. His heart almost skipped a beat.

“W-what?” 

“It’s true, Varian, I have the power to help you free your father. You need to let me help you!” 

“How do I know that I can trust you?” The boy asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Because I am a friend. I am a friend to everyone, I have helped so many people throughout the years and I promise that I won’t let you down,” Zhan Tiri gabbled, “I don’t break my promises,” she added. 

Search parties had been sent out to find Cassandra and Varian, but so far, nothing. 

Rapunzel had wanted to go, as had Eugene, but they were tied down with royal duties. 

Until the throne room doors swung open. 

“Hello Corona!” A familiar voice sang, “I’m back!”  
Rapunzel and Eugene looked up from their scrolls, to see the teenage alchemist, they used to look out for. 

“Varian?!” Rapunzel gasped, “wha-?” 

“Princess! Did you miss me?!” 

Eugene glared, noticing the kid’s turquoise hair. Then he caught sight of the stone, lodged in his chest. 

“Blondie, he has the moonstone! But I thought…” 

Rapunzel’s eyes widened, as her blood ran cold. 

“Varian, where’s Cassandra?” She asked, her voice trembling. 

Varian smirked. 

“She’s a little stuck, at the moment,” he sniggered, “and unless you want to suffer the same fate, I suggest you back down.” 

Varian held up a ball of amber, as a threat. 

“Kid,” Eugene began, “you don’t have to do this. Remember Team Awes-” 

“Team Awesome is gone,” Varian growled. 

“Kid...”

Eugene was about to go over to Varian, when black rocks rose up from the ground. 

“Don’t come near me! You all turned your backs on me and I want my revenge!” 

“Varian, please!” Rapunzel begged, “please, you don’t have to do this!” 

Varian snarled, before pinning Rapunzel against the wall with the rocks. 

“Rapunzel!” Eugene exclaimed, “Varian, let her go!” 

“No!” Varian screamed, before trapping Eugene in a black rock cage. 

Zhan Tiri smiled, as the princess struggled. 

“Now, if you excuse me, I have a job to do, but I’ll be back.” 

“Varian!” Rapunzel cried out, before Varian left the room, barricading the door with the rocks, so no one could get in, or out. 

Varian starred up at his father’s face, with teary eyes. 

“You need to repeat after me,” Zhan Tiri hissed, “Wither and decay,” 

“Wither and Decay,” Varian copied. 

“End This Destiny.” 

“End This Destiny.”

“Break These Earthly Chains, And Set The Spirit Free.” 

As soon as Varian uttered the last words, the amber, encasing his father, melted away.

“V-Varian?” Quirin, stuttered. 

“I hope you’re proud of me, dad.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, that’s a wrap! This has been my first ever offer to write a story and while, it has been a little hard, at times, it’s also been so much fun, at the same time! 
> 
> I loved writing this chapter! It’s my favourite!


End file.
